Shallow Ford Wine Trail

Uptown Wine & Gallery

A Gallery of Art, the Wines from Two Vineyards, Under One Roof
– that’s Uptown

Uptown Wine & Gallery is a uniquely collaborative venture between the non-profit Yadkin Arts Council, Surry Community College, and River de Vine Vineyards, a local vineyard enterprise. This unlikely trio banded together during a challenging economic time to create a cross-market for art and wine, which in itself, is a natural marriage.

Uptown Wine and Gallery, 240 East Main Street, Yadkinville, is adjacent to the Yadkin Cultural Arts Center (now under construction and on-track for a late spring opening). Uptown is squarely in the center of a growing downtown cultural cluster. The Cultural Arts Center will provide the public with opportunities to attend live performances, art exhibitions or workshops, to linger in the internet café and patio between the cultural center and Uptown and eventually, to learn from artistsat work.

Plans are underway for the third component of the “cultural cluster” - working artist studios. Dubbed “YARD” for Yadkin Artists Residing Downtown, the artists will create and sell their work from these publicly accessible spaces. Visitors will be able to view glass blowers, potters, weavers, painters and other skilled craftsmen in the creative process.

• HOURS:
• Thursday: 1:00 pm - 6:00 pm
• Friday: 1:00 pm - 8:00 pm
• Saturday: 1:00 pm - 6:00 pm
• Sunday: CLOSED
• Open by appointment at other times
• Closed New Years Day, Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day

Uptown and the Yadkin Cultural Arts Center are helping to fuel the economic redevelopment underway in Yadkin County. The arts are good for commerce: they bring dollars into the community - local, regional and out-of-state dollars, and promote cultural tourism.  A third winery, Allison Oaks, across the street from Uptown, enlarges the footprint for cultural tourism in Yadkinville, which is “The Gateway to the Wine Country” because it sits in the palm of the Yadkin Valley appellation.  A dozen wineries dot the country roads within a 5 to 15 minute drive from town. 

 Art exhibitions are planned monthly.  Also on rotation is the artwork from Surry Community College’s Advertising & Graphic Design program.

River de Vine Vineyards

River de Vine Vineyards' grapes are grown on the Johnson family farm overlooking the Yadkin River near Boonville. Brothers Von and Kerry Johnson took over the family operation from their parents and realizing the vineyard potential of the land, Von enrolled in the viticulture program at Surry Community College.

The vineyard was installed on former tobacco and grain land in 2001, planting the varieties of Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

The natural beauty of the rolling hills and the ancient winding river inspired their passion to produce a divine wine in the Yadkin Valley. Von Johnson and wife Susan, a registered nurse, became partners in the Uptown Wine and Gallery establishing a retail market for their wine.